Views That Make You Feel Good

Have you ever looked up at the Charlotte skyline and thought, “man I would love to have this view at home”? Well now you can have those views at home or at work, as you sip your favorite drink.

These aren’t just simple pictures that he found on the Internet. Alex Souder is actually climbing 20+ floors and sitting on the ledge of the Vue apartments to get the best shot for his coasters. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I could sit on the ledge of a 20-story building and take a photo without freezing on the spot. Well Alex isn’t me and he knew exactly what he was up there for.

When Alex lived in Austin, TX he would see so many coasters and realized that you really can’t find that kind of merchandise here in Charlotte. He decided that he wanted to change that and in February 2017 he created his company “Alexander South” that makes coasters of all the amazing sights and buildings in Charlotte, NC. He has been pleasantly shocked several times by the stunning views he’s captured. However, he can understand the feeling people get when thinking about sitting that high up and having your feet hanging over the edge. Alex also understands that the greatest rewards are acquired after a great risk.

He enjoys the rewards of the skyviews but is aware of the bigger picture in a community. Each time a coaster is purchased 15% of the funds will go to the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte. Giving back to the community is very important to Alex. He was sadden by the amount of homeless people sleeping on the street near is home and he wanted to be able to do something and fix the problem. After doing some research, he reached out to the men’s shelter and decided that this would be a great way to get is foot in the door. One day Alex would love to have his clients pick a different charity and start donating to their selected charity group. He calls it “Coasters for a Cause.”

Partnering with Coco and the Director has been one of the big highlights for his company. Before Coco opened he would walk by and look through the windows waiting for us to open, hoping that he would be able to sell his coaster in our store. We were his first retail partner and he was very worried that he wouldn’t be successful. Since partnering with Coco and the Director he has seen a huge increase in recognition and sales. He even had the owner of Hearst Tower in Charlotte call and ordered 80 coasters because he was impressed with his coasters that had the Hearst tower on it. See what happens when you don’t let go of your dreams?! The owner even played a trick on Alex making him think he was being sued for using the picture without getting permission first. Talk about a terrifying phone call! His relationship with Hearst Tower has grown so much that they send him photos to use on the coasters.

Alex has taken the coaster world by storm and he is now getting ready to take the plunge into wedding photography. He just booked his first two weddings of 2018. Whether he’s sitting on your roof or behind the lens at your most memorable event, Alexander Southend is prepared to deliver. Alex is making waves through Charlotte and we are happy to have him and his coasters as a part of the Coco family. Treat yourself and treat your community by purchasing a coaster or two from Alexander Southend.